Critique my weekend plan please

[lborne]

What you need to know:

We are getting Annual Passes. We have been to US/IOA many many times before, but never stayed on-site. Don’t need to "do it all" over the weekend. We are driving from 1.5 hrs away. Staying at RPR, so want to use Express Pass as much as possible since it is included with the resort stay.

Saturday
Arrive morning about 9 am at Royal Pacific Resort, park, get hotel key, get EP from kiosk and walk to IOA.
Trade in annual pass voucher for tickets at ticket counter (told we can't do this at hotel ???).
Visit IOA all day (no need for an in-park plan), but no desire to do HP area.
Lunch at Finnegans (OK, or other suggestion?) – leave at 6pm when it closes.
Where to eat dinner? What to do at RPR that evening?


Sunday
Leave hotel 7:30am and walk to IOA, then direct to HP Forbidden Journey. (Best route?)
Hogwarts Express to DA. (arrive before 9:30 - is that realistic?)
Attempt Gringotts if line is not too long, but assume it will be more than 60 min, so will save for some other trip.
Visit US. (No need for an in-park plan)
Lunch at Mythos.
Wife and I are leaving after lunch for the spa at the Portofino Bay Resort while kids stay at US. What is the quickest way for us to get to PBR from US? Boat or walk?

Any holes in our plan, or recommendations? TIA.

 

[macraven]

you going this weekend?

 

[CPanther95]

You picked my 2 favorite spots for lunch, but you have them reversed. Sat. should be Mythos when you're at IOA and Finnegan's during your US day on Sunday. Unless you are intentionally planning some excess walking to work off some of those calories.

For FJ make a right toward Seuss Landing, then a left at the Carousel to cut off the corner of the main route that goes around the Cat in the Hat.

Quickest consistent path from US is probably walking through the Hard Rock Hotel parking lot. Boat may be faster if it's there soon after you get to the dock, but if not the walk will probably beat it.

 

[Planogirl]

I was about to mention the reversed restaurants.

I would eat dinner somewhere in Citywalk.

 

[chabs]

If you are going this weekend, just be aware that it's the Harry Potter celebration and it will probably be mobbed.

 

[lborne]

Thanks on the reversed restaurants.

Yes, we are going this weekend. Still had availability at the hotel only a month ago when we booked, so I was hoping it would not be too crowded. A crowd calendar online shows Moderate crowds. We really won't be doing the HP areas except as noted the one morning. Since it will be a bit more crowded than other weekends, I was thinking this is a good time to be staying at the hotel and getting the EPs. We normally do not buy EPs because we go at times when it is not necessary.

 

[johde]

Based on reports from last year, the rest of the parks weren't overly busy. The HP area had times when it was very busy. Many of the events are open to the general public so you might want to decide if any of the special festivities interest you.